Fusible link



A. C. ROWLEY.

FUSIBLE LINK.

APPLICATiON FILED AUG-7. 191s.

Patent-ed May 27, 1919.

UNITED TATE PATENT oniuoii.

ARTHUR C. ROWLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GLOBE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A

CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

FUSIBLE LINK.

Application filed August 7, 1 918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. RowLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented the Fusible Link, of which the following is a specification.

One object of my invention is to provide a fusible link consisting of two coacting parts of identical form and dimensions, separably united by relatively fusible material, and which may be easily and accu rately made by a punching or stamping operation;the disposition and shape of the several parts being such that it shall be a practical impossibility for them to be made otherwise than with certain portions absolutely uniform in structure, so that all of any number of assembled links shall operate in the same manner when exposed to the same conditions.

I further desire to provide a novel form of fusible link of a construction which shall include certain plane, unaltered surfaces of flat metal; the arrangement of parts being such as to insure the flow of fusible metal between all parts of the adjacent faces of the two link elements at the time of their assembly.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fusible link of the type above described, whose construction shall be such as to insure the side clearance of its parts when the fusible connecting metal melts under conditions of use.

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively front and side elevations of a fusible link constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the link elements; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modification.

on the line 33,

In the above drawings 1 represents the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27, 1919.

Serial No. 248,812.

Moreover said endsof the body have substantially V-shaped indentations or recesses 3 and 4 respectively, whose sides are flanged and project in opposite directions from the .plane of the body, as indicated at 5 and 6.

The indentation 4% is closed by an archshaped mtegral strip 7 lying in the plane of the body and connecting the extensions 2 on either side of it, the hole or opening thus formed being designed for the reception of one ,of the levers of an. automatic sprinkler head or other member to which the fusible link is connected.

. On either side of the body 1 the extensions 2 are connected by a corrugation or reversely curved portion 8 which. throughout its length is spaced away from the adjacent edge of said body by a slot or kerf 9. In assembling the usual manner, they occupy the relative positions shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, with the lever-receiving openings at their opposite ends. In the sweating or soldering operation the fusible metal is admitted through the kerfs or slots 9 to the inner edges of the adjacent corrugated portions 8, as well as to the longitudinal edges of the two body portions, thus assuring that all of the adjacent surfaces of the two elements are engaged and connected by the solder.

When the link is mounted to connect the two levers 11 and 12 of an automatic sprinkler the force exerted by them tending to pull apart the link elements, is transmitted through the fusible metal between certain. of the engaging portions of the corrugated parts 8 and similarly between the flanges 5 and 6 of said two elements, so that but a small component of such force is required to be resisted directly by the fusible metal. When the link is exposed to more than the predetermined temperature which it is designed to withstand, the fusing of said metal permits the corrugated parts of the elements as well as their inclined flanges 5 and 6 to slide laterally upon each other, and any pos sibility of the sticking of said parts after they have once become thus separated is avoided by reason of" the clearance between the edges of their body portions 1 and the adjacent edges of the corrugated parts 8; After having begun to separate, the link elements move away from each other as well as longitudinally, thereby quickly and certainly severing the connection-between the levers 11 and 12 or other elements which they-previously joined.

In that form of" the invention shown in Fig. 5 I hav as before provided the re versely curved portionson either side of the plane body I but do not form the slots 9. Instead, the two parts of each corrugation are connected to the body 1 at their point of junction sosthat one of said parts 8 islonger that the other 8" and the sheared edge of each part lies in the plane of the adjacent edge of the body 1.' When two link elements are assembled the convex faces of the shorter parts 8 of each lie adjacent or fit into the concave faces of the. longer parts 8;-the planebodiesof each' element lying parallel and; immediately adjacent each other;

I claim:

1. A fusible link consisting of two elements each having an opening for the reception: of a stress-applying element; and two laterally corrugated side portions respectively on opposite sides of a line con necting said openings, the corrugations of said two portions having openings at their adjacent ends each element also having a substantially central plane portion between the corrugated side portions; with relatively fusiblematerial separab'ly connectingsaid elements.

2; A fusible link consisting of two elements, each having asubstantially central. plane portion and two corrugated portions respectively on opposite sides ofsaid plane portion, there being slots between the plane portion. and said corrugated portions; with relatively fusible material separably connecting said elements:

3. A fusible link consisting of two elements, each having a.- plane portion and a corrugated portion adjacent thereto; each of said elements being provided with an open ing for the reception of a tension-applying member and having a, slot between its plane and corrugated portions extending substantially parallel to the line of tensile stress exerted on the link; with relatively fusible material separably connecting said elements.

4'. A fusible link consisting of two ele ments each having two corrugated portions and a plane portion between said corrugated portions but separated therefrom by two parallel slots, each of said elements having an opening adjacent one end of its plane portion for the reception of a tension-applying element; with relatively fusible material connecting said elements.

5; A fusible linkconsisting of two elements of identical form, eachconsisting of a body of sheet metal having two substantially' V-shaped; oppositely extending recesses provided respectively with oppositely projecting flanges; with relatively fusible material separably connecting saidelements.

6; A fusible link'consisting" of two sheet metal elements each-having an opening providedwith two converging outwardly flanged sides and a V-shaped recess having its sides flanged outwardly in a direction opposite that of the flanges of said opening; with a body of fusible material separably connecting said elements; I

7. A fusible link consisting oft-wo'members each including a plane body portion having at its ends V-shaped indentations provided with oppositely flanged" converging sides and including two corrugated portionsrespectively on opposite sides of said body portion, there being an arched strip for each element coacting with one of its indentations to' form an opening for tension applying element; with relatively fusible material separably connecting said elements.

8. A fusible link consistinglof two elements each including a plane body portion having at its ends V shaped indentations provided with oppositely flanged converging sides and including two corrugated portions respectively on opposite sides of said body portion, there being an arched strip for each element coacting with one ofitsindentations-to'form an opening for atensionapplying element, each of the elements.hav ing openings between the body portion and the adjacent corrugated portion; with fusible material separa'bly connecting the elements.

In witness whereof I aflix my signature.

ARTHUR C. ROWLEY.

Copies of this patentmay beobteinedfor fi've cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

